We are firmly with NDA, no question of NCP reunification: Praful Patel

Refuting speculations about the reunification of the two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and murmurs about a likely change in alliances, party leader Praful Patel said his party stands firmly with the National Democratic Alliance and will continue to do so in the 2029 elections as well.

The NCP national working president also refuted speculation about party leader Ajit Pawar harbouring chief ministerial aspirations while insisting that the current local body elections in Maharashtra will set the tone for the 2029 Assembly election.

“There is no vacancy for the Chief Minister’s post till Devendra Fadnavis is here. Mahayuti is a strong entity. He has the ability to lead us all,” Mr. Patel said.

He denied that the fluidity seen in these local body elections, with ruling Mahayuti and Opposition Mahas Vikas Aghadi (MVA) constituents ditching each other at several places, will have any impact on overall alliances. “The local body elections are happening after nine years, so the local cadres do not want tight alliances. Everyone is with everyone. In Nashik, the NCP and the [Shiv] Sena are against the BJP. In Ahilyanagar, the BJP and NCP are against Shiv Sena. Cabinet Minister Ganesh Naik [of the BJP] has been going hammer and tongs against Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde [of the Sena]. A lot of things will go back to normal once the elections are over. We are categorical that we will be together in 2029,” he said.

Ruling out any possibility of an alliance or merger between the NCP and NCP (SP) despite the two parties contesting municipal corporation elections in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad together, Mr. Patel said, “It is not applicable all over the State. The motive was to work together rather than split each other’s votes, especially when we are anyway not fighting as Mahayuti.”

The Rajya Sabha MP and former Union Minister said there was no discussion between Mr. Pawar and NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule – recently seen sharing the stage – about a merger or wider alliance. “They are a family, they will have to be on a stage. That doesn’t mean the political landscape will change,” he said.

Congress’s fate

Mr. Patel said the current election will decide if the Congress or the Shiv Sena (UBT) will be the principal Opposition party in the State come 2029. “Congress’s position has been taken over by the Sena (UBT). If it doesn’t perform in this election, it will mark a decline of the Congress all over the country,” he predicted, adding that the party should have tried to keep the MVA together. “It lacks leadership in the State, like it does at the national level. After [former CMs] Vilasrao Deshmukh and Ashok Chavan, there was no other tall leader in the party in Maharashtra.”